


'Tis the Season

by TeaGirl42



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: A Little Light Licking, A little Christmas Smut, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Movies, Christmas With Family, Christmas together, Declarations Of Love, Drinking, F/M, First Kiss, First Time, Loneliness, New Family, New Year's Fluff, New Year's Kiss, New Year's Resolutions, Noah Is An Inquisitive Little Man, Noah Loves His Uncle Rafa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:08:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27767257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaGirl42/pseuds/TeaGirl42
Relationships: Olivia Benson & Odafin "Fin" Tutuola, Rafael Barba & Odafin "Fin" Tutuola, Rafael Barba/Olivia Benson, Uncle Rafa & Noah Porter Benson
Comments: 31
Kudos: 91





	1. A Few Too Many

Barba packed up his desk and then locked up his office even later than usual on Christmas Eve. As he walked through the unsurprisingly quiet building he passed by a couple of custodians, smiled at them genuinely and wished them a Happy Christmas, before taking the elevator down to the ground floor and walking out onto the street.

He stood outside in the bracing cold for a few moments, briefly considering hailing a cab and just heading home until something stopped him. He didn't usually think twice about being alone at Christmas, but this year felt different.

Maybe it was the fact that his mother was away visiting family, so for the first time in years, he would truly be alone over the holidays.

Or maybe it was that being comfortably alone had recently started to feel a lot more like loneliness.

He didn't even allow himself to reflect on the _reason_ he suddenly felt his solitude so profoundly.

Without much more thought Barba hailed a cab and asked the driver to drop him at a bar near to the 16th, a bar that he knew was frequented by friends and colleagues. He didn't even consider the possibility that Olivia would be there. They had exchanged a couple of messages earlier in the evening and he knew that she would be home with Noah by now.

Still, this year he wasn't quite ready to be alone yet.

* * *

Fin smiled and patted Barba on the shoulder with festive cordiality as he took a seat next to him at the bar and signalled a member of staff to bring him a large whisky.

"Come ta join the…festivities?" Fin yelled a little louder than necessary.

Barba smiled, his friend had clearly been drinking a lot more than usual…but it was Christmas.

"To the season," Barba replied dryly and held up his drink.

Fin clinked his glass, "The season."

"Thought you had big plans?" Barba asked, sure that he'd heard Fin mention a Christmas Eve date earlier in the week.

Fin rolled his eyes. "Got a better offer…" he replied dryly.

"Their loss," Barba responded so genuinely that the sergeant actually double-took and then smiled warmly at the ADA.

 _He's a good man,_ Fin thought as they silently sipped their drinks. A bit of a pain in the ass…and sometimes a little _up_ his own ass…he smiled to himself thoughtfully...but Barba had always shown complete loyalty to Liv. Something that had never gone unnoticed.

"You're a good guy, counsellor," Fin finally voiced out loud.

Barba looked at him and raised his eyebrows. "I…" he paused, clearly surprised and touched by his words, "…thank you. Likewise."

Fin smiled tipsily and tipped his glass at him again. "Don't get me wrong, ya ain't my type or nothing…" he teased and then chuckled at his own joke.

Barba laughed and actually tried not to flush with a little color. "Thanks for clarifying…" he retorted dryly and rolled his eyes.

Fin nodded sagely and drank a little more. "But, you know, if I was…that way inclined or whatever…you never know." He looked at Barba with frank assessment, "The suits make a statement, but under all that you're…" he shrugged, "…a good looking guy."

Barba laughed now as he glanced up and down the bar so that he could order them both another drink. "I hope for your sake that you don't remember this conversation in the morning…"

Fin laughed, "Fuck that! I'm a…" he paused, "…what's the word? _Evolved_ man. I ain't gonna get all…" His words trailed off and then he was distracted by his drink.

"You know what's curious?" Barba asked reflectively after a few more moments.

 _"Cats?"_ Fin suggested with a level of drunken solemnity that made Barba choke on his drink.

The lawyer coughed a few times, stroked his hand down his shirt to make sure it wasn't wet, and then clarified, "I meant, most of these guys have a family to go home to...yet they're still here. If I-"

"Damn…" Fin cut in and moved to stand, "…church services with fam'ly in the mornin'." He coordinated getting off the barstool and then was surprised when the floor suddenly shifted out from under his feet. "Fuck this shit…" he cursed frustratedly and glared at the tiling.

Barba laughed silently but quickly turned in his seat a little to check on him. "You okay?" He asked with genuine concern.

"Fine, fine…" Fin muttered. He frisked through his pockets to make sure that he had his phone and keys, then unbalanced a little and had to lean against the bar.

Barba rolled his eyes and moved to stand, "Okay, I'm making sure that you get home okay."

Fin tsked and shook his head in amusement, "I can get meself home _, counsellor."_

"And if I watch you leave this bar and you end up getting yourself hurt?" Barba asked pointedly. "Liv would kill me."

"Liv...Liv...Liv..." Fin lamented with a wry smile, "…you're fuckin' clueless as she is."

Barba frowned with a little confusion as he stood, then when Fin's legs wobbled again he reached out to support him as they walked to the exit. He listened to the lyrics of the music as they stepped out on to the sidewalk and rolled his eyes.

_Christmas Eve will find me  
_ _Where the love light gleams  
_ _I'll be home for Christmas  
_ _if only in my dreams._

* * *

Barba managed to get Fin up to his apartment and turn on the lights.

"Nice place," Barba observed as he walked through to the kitchen and filled a glass with water.

Fin mumbled something incoherent and walked through to his bedroom leaving the door open.

Barba shrugged and followed him through, laughing softly when he found Fin already laying face first on the bed - his feet dangling over the end.

He sighed, pulled off his shoes and then put the glass of water on the nightstand. "Drink that," Barba recommended, "…you'll feel better in the morning."

Fin opened one eye and looked at the glass, then pushed up with a loud groan, drank two long gulps and flopped back down.

"Ya really are a good bloke, Barba," Fin murmured into his bedsheets, "…guess it ain't all that surprisin' Liv loves you…"

Barba felt like his chest had imploded and he stopped breathing for several seconds.

 _Love was an innocuous enough word_ , he told himself, _Olivia loves all of her friends. Love didn't really mean…_

"You break her heart though, I'll break you," Fin rambled on, almost sounding like he was talking in his sleep now, "…she…you…"

Barba held his breath. He was almost sure that his heart had stopped completely now.

"…She loves you, man...and you're fuckin' here...fool..." Fin breathed out and then began to breathe heavily in a deep slumber.

Barba stood looking at Fin with his mouth open. What the hell had just happened? If his heart really had stopped beating before it now seemed to be trying to hammer its way out of his chest!

Fin was not a gossip. He also wasn't flippant or careless about other people's feelings…and more than anything he was the one person, besides himself, that Barba knew for a fact Olivia respected enough to confide in.

Barba moved as though on autopilot - he refilled Fin's water, pulled a blanket over him and then made sure that everything was secure as he left the apartment.

What the hell had just happened?

_TBC..._


	2. On the Street Where You Live

It was 1 am on Christmas morning and Barba had been standing on the sidewalk freezing his ass off outside Olivia's apartment for more than half-an-hour.

"I can't go up there," he murmured to himself for the fifth time in as many minutes, "…I _can't_ just go up there." Yet for some reason, he also couldn't bring himself to go home, and he was painfully aware that with every single moment that he waited his behaviour was becoming even more inappropriate. He was a prominent city ADA, standing on a sidewalk in the middle of the night lurking outside his friend's apartment building.

Barba felt as though a malevolent greater power must have been listening to his thoughts when a squad car slowly pulled up alongside him - he closed his eyes in frustration.

The window rolled down and an extremely young female cop scanned him up and down, as though assessing a potential threat. "It's pretty cold out here," she finally observed.

He looked at her flatly but didn't say a word.

"You were standing out here when we passed by twenty minutes ago," she continued with a slightly clipped tone. "Wait, don't I know you? You work for the city?"

Barba tilted his head and slowly breathed in through his nose as he stepped toward the vehicle. "ADA… _Barba,_ " he replied with a tight smile.

She glanced back at her partner and said something, then looked at him with narrow eyes. "And you're lurking around on street corners in the middle of the night, because…?"

"I don't…" Barba really couldn't begin to explain, beyond telling her the truth, which was definitely _not_ going to happen. "I'm not breaking any laws," he retorted defensively and then winced.

The vehicle opened now and the woman stepped out...then the door opposite opened and her partner stood to watch him over the roof.

"Come on," Barba held up his hands defensively, "…this is ridiculous!"

"I'm not comfortable leaving you here," the woman spoke calmly, "…you're clearly being evasive."

"I'm a city ADA!" Barba protested.

"So you can explain to me why you're standing around on a freezing sidewalk at 1 am in the morning?" She asked.

"I'm Santa?" Barba tried with a weak smile. "I…lost my reindeers?"

The woman's eyebrows raised, "Sir, have you been drinking?"

"I was _joking!"_ Barba protested with exhausted frustration. He sighed, "...And I might have been drinking a little."

She looked at him doubtfully.

"I've had a couple…maybe three…but I'm certainly _not_ drunk." As much as Barba hated to do it, he tried a little name dropping, "I've been having a few drinks with Sergeant Fin Tutuola, from the 16th."

The cop looked back at her partner, who was still standing watching them over the roof of the squad car. The senior officer silently nodded once, clearly recognising the name.

"And if we call Sergeant Tutuola?" She asked.

Barba smiled dryly now. "I very much doubt he'd answer his phone, he was drinking a lot more than me…" he saw the cops unimpressed expression, "…look, you really have nothing to worry about here."

"Is this _your_ building, sir?" She asked.

"Well, no…" Barba admitted.

The woman sighed at his further evasion, "So until I speak to someone who lives in this building and I hear their reassurances that you are a _welcome_ guest we cannot leave."

Barba looked appalled, "You've got to be kidding me?!"

"Sir, you're standing in front of an apartment building in the middle of the night, in the freezing cold, yet you're refusing to give me a simple explanation," the woman explained pointedly. "Surely as an ADA, you can see why that might be considered suspicious?"

He sighed and closed his eyes, "She has a child, you'll wake him up. Hell, you'll probably wake her up as well!"

"This is…a girlfriend?" The cop asked.

"A friend. I was…well, I don't exactly know what I was doing…" Barba looked at her a little pleadingly now.

"I'm going to need that name and number, sir," she replied.

"I can't just _leave?"_ Barba protested.

"You've just admitted to standing outside a woman's apartment building in the middle of the night, and told me that there is a child involved. I'm going to need that number, sir…" She repeated.

Barba sighed with resignation and pointed at his pocket. She nodded, so he reached in to get his cell and read out the number. "…Olivia Benson," he finished with an exasperated tone.

"Lieutenant Olivia Benson?" The older cop asked over the roof.

"Know her?" The younger cop looked over and checked with her partner.

He nodded, "Good cop, good woman." Then he peered at Barba narrowly, "Exactly how do _you_ know her?"

Barba sighed, "I'm a friend, okay? We work together."

"And you're standin' outside her apartment at this time of the night, _because…?"_ He asked with growing suspicion.

"I'm just going to call the number," the younger cop cut in, "…this is getting ridiculous."

_"Getting_ ridiculous?" Barba retorted dryly and then held up his hands again when the woman glared at him.

"….Ma'am, is this Lieutenant Olivia Benson?" The cop asked after her call was answered. She was quiet for a moment. "Yes, we're on the job." Another pause. "No nothing, ma'am. Do you know an ADA…" she looked at him in an unspoken question.

"Rafael Barba," Barba replied a little sullenly.

"Rafael Barba," the woman repeated. After another brief pause, the cop clearly cut Olivia off, "No, no, ma'am, nothing is wrong, he's perfectly safe…he's just well…" she fell silent again, during which Barba could hear that Olivia's voice had raised a little. "No, ma'am. We drove by your place approximately thirty minutes ago and saw a suspicious male loitering outside, then came by again just now to find him still here." Olivia must have spoken again. "No, ma'am, standing right outside your apartment building…" Another pause. "Right _now,_ ma'am."

The woman looked up at Barba and her eyes seemed to soften a little at whatever Olivia was saying. "So he's not a risk…or…" she paused again, "…no, I understand. No, ma'am. I will…yes, ma'am, Happy Holidays to you as well."

She hung up the phone and looked at Barba with a little confusion, "Okay, Sir, we're going to leave now."

"I should go…" Barba nodded down the street.

"Oh no, Mr Barba," the cop responded as she moved to climb back into the vehicle. "Lieutenant Benson directed you to, and I quote," she smiled a little now _, "…get your ass up there!"_

Barba winced, "Right, okay…"

"I think she means _now,_ sir," the woman smirked before pulling the door closed and watching the ADA turn slowly toward the entrance of the building.

"You should've heard the tone in her voice, she was really worried about him," she told her partner as they pulled out.

"You think maybe…?" He asked with a small smile.

"I think we might have just played a small part in a Christmas love story," the woman smirked and wondered where the evening would take the lieutenant and her ADA.

* * *

Minutes later, Barba stepped off the elevator on Olivia's floor and walked out to find her leaning against her open doorway with her arms crossed and a confused smile on her face. She had a robe wrapped around her, nothing on her feet and her hair was slightly tousled. 

"Rafa…" Olivia greeted him with mock nonchalance, "…so, have you been drinking?"

"Not as much as one would assume," Barba replied almost petulantly. "I should go home…"

"Hell, no…" Olivia said quickly and stepped back to let him in. "Why were you standing on my sidewalk in the middle of the night? The cop said you'd been out there for a while?"

Barba shuffled by and was surprised when Olivia took the collar of his coat and began to pull it off. He removed his scarf and put down his bag as she hung his coat and then walked through to her kitchen. "Coffee? Tea? Maybe some Hot chocolate?" She suggested.

"You don't have to…" Barba started.

Olivia sighed and took out a small pan, "I'm making us _both_ hot chocolate. It's Christmas and you need warming up…I'm pretty sure I even have some rum."

"You don't have to do this, Liv," he sighed, "…I must have woken you up."

Olivia smiled at him over her shoulder, "Well, I definitely prefer you to Santa. Although Santa might have been more expected. Rafa, what are you doing here? More importantly, why were you outside in the street?"

Suddenly, they were both distracted by a noise and turned to see Noah shuffling towards them rubbing his eyes.

"Santa?" He mumbled sleepily. Then he saw Barba standing in their living area and a broad grin spread across his face. "Uncle Rafa! You came!" He gasped and ran over to wrap his arms tightly around his waist. "I asked mommy if you would come and you came!"

Barba was a little startled, but returned his embrace and then crouched down to his level. "I'm so sorry that I woke you, Noah." He looked up regretfully at Olivia, who shook her head, silently telling him not to worry about it before turning to remove their hot chocolate from the stove.

"I'm glad you woke me up, Uncle Rafa!" Noah said excitedly. "You're even better than Santa!"

"I'm afraid I didn't bring you any gifts though," he apologised.

Noah looked confused, "Mommy said that we don't need toys and gifts from people we love, because having them with us at Christmas is the most important thing," he explained to Barba solemnly. "Are you staying for Christmas, Uncle Rafa? I'll write Santa and ask him to cancel all of my toys if you do! I swear!"

Olivia laughed and walked over to turn her son back toward his bedroom, leaving a surprised Barba to collect himself and then stand to follow them through.

"It's too late for negotiations, my sweet boy," Olivia told him. "Santa will be on his sleigh by now…"

"But Santa is magic," Noah protested vehemently, "…I'm sure if I write that it was a special letter and…"

"Bed, sweetheart," Olivia encouraged him, "…or Santa will be here."

"Then I can ask him! I could ask for…" Noah started.

Olivia cut in, _"Bed,_ Noah," she said firmly. "How about if Uncle Rafa reads you a _short_ Christmas story?"

"Christmas song?" Noah asked.

She looked back at Barba, who had recovered enough to step forward and nod.

"I guess I can do a Christmas song," he agreed with a smile.

Olivia was surprised but stepped back to lean against the door and watch as Barba sat next to Noah on his bed. She saw him consider his options and then smile when he thought of a song.

_There's magic in the air this evening_   
_Magic in the air…_

Noah and Olivia's smiles both grew as they recognised the song.

_The world is at her best, you know  
_ _When people love and care  
_ _The promise of excitement is one the night will keep  
_ _After all, there's only one more sleep 'til Christmas…_

_The world has got a smile today  
_ _The world has got a glow  
_ _There's no such thing as strangers when  
_ _A stranger says "hello"_

Barba paused at this point and looked back at Olivia before whispering to Noah conspiratorially. "Actually, Kermit obviously does not live in New York. If a stranger ever talks to you, you do as your mommy says and tell them that you're not allowed to talk to strangers…then go see her."

Noah giggled, his Uncle Rafa was funny. "I know that, Uncle Rafa! Unless it's _actually_ Kermit!"

Barba laughed softly.

"Mommy also said that if I'm ever scared or not sure about something I can always talk to you. That's right isn't it, Uncle Rafa?"

Barba smiled affectionately and nodded, "Absolutely. I'm here for you whenever you need me, Noah, for whatever reason."

Then he finished off his shortened version of the song,

_And everyone is family, we're having so much fun  
_ _After all, there's only one more sleep 'til Christmas...  
_

Noah snuggled down in his bed. "I love you, Uncle Rafa," he said happily, "…are you going to be here when I wake up in the morning?"

"I don't…" Barba didn't know what to say, "…Christmas is a special time for just you and your mommy."

"So are you spending Christmas with _your_ mommy, Uncle Rafa?" He asked a little sadly.

"Well, no. My Mami is going away for Christmas this year. So…" Barba started.

"So you really _could_ come spend Christmas with me and mommy? Couldn't you?" Noah smiled eagerly.

Barba sighed, "Niño, I haven't been invi-"

"Of course your Uncle Rafa could spend Christmas with us," Olivia interrupted from her spot in the doorway, "…and if he has nowhere else that he needs to be I promise he'll be here with us tomorrow."

Noah grinned sleepily.

"Now go to sleep, it's very _very_ late…" Olivia said firmly and then walked over, naturally resting her hand on Barba's shoulder as she leaned down to kiss her son's head.

"Goodnight, mommy…goodnight, Uncle Rafa, I love you," Noah said and closed his eyes, "…you're just what I asked Santa for."

Barba's eyes widened and Olivia watched with a growing smile as he leaned in to instinctively press his lips to the young boy's head.

"We love you too," Barba said softly as he stood.

"I'm sorry," he spoke as she closed the door behind them, "…when he asked about tomorrow he caught me off guard and I didn't know what to say. Obviously, I don't expect…"

Olivia surprised him when she rested her hand on his forearm, "Rafa, I would love for you to come and spend Christmas with me and Noah. If I'd realised that was even a possibility I would have asked weeks ago." She smiled warmly at the emotion she saw in his eyes. "However, I still need to know why you're here?"

Barba groaned, "I'm not sure I was thinking very clearly, I guess I haven't eaten since lunch so maybe the drinks I had with Fin went to my head a little."

Olivia blinked slowly, "I don't know what to try to process first, the fact that you… _Rafael Barba_ …haven't eaten in about 12 hrs, or that you've been out drinking with Fin!"

Barba chuckled softly, "I didn't exactly go out drinking with Fin, I went to the bar and bumped into him there."

"Why were you at a bar in the first place?" Olivia asked as she walked through to the kitchen. She moved the pan back over a low heat and then started preparing him a sandwich from the leftovers of their Christmas Eve meal.

"You don't have to…" Barba started and then shut up when she shot him a look, "…I've really ruined your Christmas haven't I?"

Olivia smiled, "Honestly, I'm a little bemused…but still genuinely happy that you're here. I love spending Christmas with my boy, but once he's in bed it can get a bit lonely."

"If I weren't here you would be in bed yourself," he pointed out as he took the plate she offered him with a grateful smile and then leaned back against her kitchen counter to take a bite. "Liv, this is delicious!"

"You should have been here at dinnertime," Olivia quipped, "…Rafa, I'm serious, I actually impressed myself."

He chuckled warmly and quickly took another bite before swallowing. "My invite must have been lost in the post," he teased, starting to relax into their familiar banter.

"I asked if you were busy but you said that you were working," Olivia replied with a slight frown.

Barba remembered the question but hadn't picked up on the potential invitation, he only remembered not wanting to sound pitiful in his reply.

"So, ADA Barba," Olivia said pointedly as she turned to stir their hot chocolate, "…why were you hanging outside my place on Christmas Eve?"

"As the cop so helpfully pointed out, it's actually Christmas Morning," Barba commented, then took another bite and winced at his pedantic response.

"Evasion, counsellor," Olivia replied with mock courtroom authority.

Barba smiled weakly. "I…well, when I got Fin home he said something...he didn't really know what he was saying…" Barba clarified, not wanting to cause distrust or conflict between the two old friends, "...but he did say something that surprised me."

"You went to his _place?"_ Olivia asked and took her attention from the stove to glance at him with an arched eyebrow.

"He was…well, I knew you would kill me if I didn't at least see him home safely…" Barba admitted with a small smile.

"Fin was _that_ drunk?" Olivia laughed. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him so inebriated that he needed assistance home, but she knew Barba wasn't inclined to being a mother hen, so he must have been pretty out of it.

Barba shrugged a little awkwardly.

Olivia's mind rushed through the evening's events and she felt a shudder through her body at the thought of what her inebriated friend could have blurted out. She trusted Fin without question but had never even considered that a situation like this might occur - Barba and Fin never socialised alone and neither were heavy drinkers.

"Rafa, what did Fin say to you?" Olivia asked cautiously.

"He said…" Barba sighed, "…God, this is ridiculous - I don't even know why I'm here!"

Olivia frowned now, "Rafa, will you please _talk_ to me?"

"The thing is, I know it's not true...but it was late and I'd been drinking a little as well. So I suppose I got things stuck in my head…and the next thing I knew I was in a cab coming to yours. When I got here and realised how truly ridiculous it all was I was going to leave, but then the squad car pulled up and-"

_"Rafa!"_ Olivia cut in firmly. "What did he say to you?"

Barba sighed, "That you're in love with me…and obviously, now I can see that it's-"

"And you came straight here?" Olivia asked, zeroing in on that fact for a reason that she hadn't entirely worked through yet.

"I didn't think…" Barba shook his head and then stepped closer, leaning his hip on the counter next to her as he watched her pour out their drinks.

Olivia's heart was speeding up, her hand shaking ever-so-slightly on the handle of the pan as she poured the chocolate and then reached for the rum. Fin had told Barba that she loved him, she thought through carefully, but his instinct hadn't been to run. His instinct had been to come to her. His doubts had held him back, but he'd still been standing outside on her street. At 1 am in the morning. On Christmas Day.

"Rafa…" she turned and leaned back onto the kitchen counter as she passed him his drink.

He took a sip of the warm nectar and then when he looked back up at her their eyes linked. "Olivia, I-"

"No," She cut him off, the air between them was charged and felt almost thick with tension. "When you heard what Fin said you came straight to me. Your instinct wasn't to run or pretend that it hadn't happened. Even though you doubted what he said was true, your instinct was still to come here."

Barba tilted his head slightly, there was something in her train of thought and the slight wobble in her voice that made his chest tighten. "I think…" he reflected and then answered honestly, "…I feel like my instinct will always be to come to you."

Tears welled in her eyes.

"I didn't mean to upset you…" Barba said softly, his voice almost silent now.

"Fin…" Olivia continued tentatively, it was time for her to step up and join him on that ledge. "Fin was telling you the truth, Rafa." She averted her eyes for a second and then forced herself to look back into his powerful gaze. "I _do_ love you, I think I have for a while, longer than even I've been able to acknowledge."

Barba looked shocked, his eyes flitted down to her lips and then back up to her eyes. "You…love me?"

Olivia smiled and let out a burst of nervous laughter. "Of all the curve balls I've thrown you over the years, I'm not sure I've ever seen you this shocked. It can't be that much of a surprise? The amount of time we spend together. You're my closest friend."

"You…love me?" Barba needed clarification after the friend comment. His head was whirling.

"I am in love with you, Rafa," Olivia said slowly, a nervous smile still twitching at the corner of her mouth.

_"Why?"_ He asked. Then after a moment added, _"How?"_

Olivia laughed now, "ADA Rafael Barba, a woman tells him she loves him and he wants to question the defendant."

Barba went to speak and was shocked when Olivia brought her fingers to his lips.

"Rafa, I love you because…" she looked him over slowly, "…you're kind, funny, smart…brave…extremely handsome… _distractingly_ sexy."

He let out a sharp-surprised breath against her fingertips and she smiled.

Olivia rolled her eyes as her hand dropped to rest on his chest. "Don't tell me that you don't know how good you look in those suits, Rafa," she asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

"I don't know what to say…" Barba finally experimented with whole sentences.

"Although I would be far from averse to seeing one of those suits on my bedroom floor…" Olivia teased now. Then at his comically shocked expression, she continued. "I've held back, unsure if you might want the same things and wary of risking what we already have," she explained, "…but is there even a chance that you might want what I want?"

"You want _me?"_ Barba clarified.

She laughed at his reluctance to take all this in. "I love you, Rafa…" She paused and then continued more seriously, "…but you must know what you mean to Noah, so if you would even consider this, consider _us_ …then I need you to be sure."

"Dios, Olivia," Barba replied instantly, "…I'm _completely_ sure."

In spite of what they'd talked about so far Olivia looked a little taken aback by his certainty.

"When I left the office tonight I went to the bar because I wasn't ready to be alone, but I knew that wasn't where I really wanted to be. I wanted to be here with you, with you and with Noah. I couldn't even allow myself to think about what you might be doing - eating cookies and drinking hot chocolate, maybe watching Christmas movies…"

"Putting Noah to bed with a Christmas song and telling him that we love him?" Olivia suggested and Barba nodded once. "We love you, Rafa," Olivia confirmed. "You must have seen Noah's eyes light up when he saw you, the only thing we were missing this Christmas Eve was _you."_

No sooner had the words left her mouth than his lips touched hers. He was about to pull back from his chaste kiss, an apology on his lips, but Olivia smiled and leaned forward, grasping the lapels of his jacket and pulling him toward her.

"Uh-uh," she smiled against his lips, "…we're not going to pull back from this unless you really want to, and I'm never going to allow you to apologise for kissing me."

Barba swallowed hard and closed his eyes, their lips brushing lightly as one of his hands tentatively stroked down her side and came to rest on her hip.

"Do you want me, Rafa?" Olivia asked and then sucked lightly on his bottom lip. "Because…" she swallowed hard now and he registered for the first time that she was as nervous as he was. "I've wanted you for a really long time," her breath caught, "...so if you want this, I'm yo-"

Both of Barba's hands gripped onto her waist firmly now and he kissed her with breathless tenacity. He couldn't manage to convince his lips to leave hers, so tried his best to answer her unfinished question with his kiss. _Yes,_ I want you. _Yes,_ I need you. _Yes,_ to everything.

Olivia hummed and combed her hand into his hair as she brought a leg up to wrap around his calves and hold him close.

They seemed to kiss for hours, now that they _could_ neither were able to pull back.

"You taste like chocolate," Olivia observed after a while, grinning as their foreheads came to rest together and Barba's hands stroked up and down her back.

"If you like that I can switch from coffee every day," Barba teased and pressed his lips to hers again, "…I might get some funny looks at the coffee carts though."

Olivia ran her tongue teasingly over his bottom lip, "I just want Rafa, with or without a hint of chocolate...or coffee." She closed her eyes for a few moments, relief flowing through her body.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Barba asked as he watched a tear fall down her cheek and reached up to brush it away with his thumb.

She shook her head, "I just…" she looked at him now and smiled, "… there are some things in life that I'd come to accept I might not have."

"I love you. You can have me," Barba assured, "…it's not much, but it's all I have to offer you."

Olivia rolled her eyes at his self-deprecation, "Rafa, that's _everything._ You and Noah could be everything."

"That's good…" Barba replied, obviously trying to control his own emotions, "…because I haven't brought your Christmas gift either. I have something at home, but I wasn't exactly planning on stopping by."

She laughed now, "I know what you can give us both for Christmas, Rafa. Stay?"

"Stay?" Barba asked.

"Stay for the holidays, stay with us?" Olivia clarified.

Barba covered her lips again, pushing her back against the kitchen counter. "I'd have to leave for an hour, get some more suitable clothing…" he mumbled thoughtfully as his lips descended her throat.

"After breakfast?" Olivia suggested as his tongue traced back up her neck, then she gasped when his teeth grazed her jaw lightly. "Please tell me that you have a Christmas sweater," she asked with a joyful grin, "that would look… _oh God!_ …so fucking hot."

Barba grinned against her lips now, "I think I have something my Abuelita gave me...if that would interest you?"

"It definitely would. Although right now I'm more interested in getting you _out_ of clothing…" Olivia pulled at his tie. "Make love to me, Rafa?" She paused, "Unless you want to wait? If you're not sure, or…"

The corner of Barba's mouth turned up in a crooked smile. "I'm so completely sure...eres el amor de mi vida."

"Rafa…" Olivia replied tearfully.

"And I'm groping you against your kitchen counter…" he observed wryly.

"We could fix that?" Olivia suggested and looked in the direction that Barba assumed must lead to her bedroom.

"I don't have anything," Barba suddenly winced when he remembered. "I didn't expect…"

"I'm clean," Olivia replied quickly, "I've been tested since I split with Ed and I've never…I've _always_ used protection. Pregnancy isn't an issue."

Barba looked into her eyes cautiously, "I could go out? Get some?"

Olivia shook her head, "If you…I mean, I've never imagined myself saying this, but I want to feel you…just _you."_

Barba's head was spinning, he nodded and then confirmed, "I'm clean, it's been a while and I've been tested."

She smiled, "I know. God, I trust you completely. I know that you wouldn't even _consider_ this if you weren't."

His lips pressed to hers gently, "I love you."

She smiled.

"You bolted the door?" Barba asked as he slipped his hand into hers and tugged her in the direction of her bedroom.

"Safety first?" Olivia asked turning around to guide him back into her room.

"Always," he replied as he pushed the door closed and twisted the lock. "You and Noah," he said softly, tucking her hair behind her ear as he directed her back onto the bed, "…you're precious."

"Rafael," Olivia said tearfully and he watched her look at him with an expression of adoration that felt like a true Christmas miracle.

"You're stunning," he smiled as she quickly pulled open the tie on her robe and let it fall open.

Olivia's gaze roamed over his body. "Come on, I want my Christmas gift…" she directed and then her eyes gleamed as she watched Barba stand above her, slowly slip off his jacket, then unbutton and remove his waistcoat.

She watched him reach for his suspenders and then suddenly sat up, "Oh no, I've been thinking about this for a while so I think I need to unwrap this gift myself." Then she ran her hands up the taut elastic before sliding them over his shoulders and broad biceps as she pushed them down.

Barba laughed when she stood to quickly strip his shirt and then pull off his undershirt. He caught her eyes, pausing with his fingers reaching down to the hem of her oversized t-shirt and waiting for her nod, before pulling it up and swallowing hard at the sight of her bare breasts.

"You're so beautiful," he said with a soft reverence.

"Come to bed with me, Rafa," Olivia replied.

He quickly unfastened his pants, never removing his eyes from hers, then pulled off his shoes and socks before stepping out of them and sliding into bed alongside Olivia.

She pulled the sheets and comforter to cover them both and shivered at the cold before snuggling close and burrowing her face into his neck. "Rafa…" she whispered softly against his neck as she wrapped a leg around his waist.

"Are you cold?" Barba asked with concern, the overwhelming feeling of being wrapped naked in her arms washing over him in waves. She felt so soft…yet so strong.

"You're a little cold," she laughed and then had to grip him tighter when he started to move away. "Don't you dare," Olivia held him close and kissed along his shoulder, "…we'll soon warm you up."

Barba laughed and pressed his lips to hers, moving in-between her legs and eliciting a low moan when his impressive cock lined up and pushed against her clit. "Rafa…"

Olivia hummed and tried to wrap him impossibly closer. "Make love to me," she implored softly, "...everything else can wait, I only need you."

Barba nodded, kissing her lips as he reached down to stroke gently through her wet folds before lining himself up. "If this is a dream I'll be furious," he reflected, only part-joking.

Olivia smiled and slowly shook her head reassuringly, then she gasped when the broad head of his cock nudged against her entrance. She pressed her lips to his and they kissed, exploring each other's mouths as he slowly moved himself inside her.

"R-Rafa…" Olivia choked out a little tearfully, feeling as though they were cocooned inside each other's arms and the sheets of her bed. As she had asked, they made love slowly, understanding that they had time and knowing that this was only the beginning.

* * *

A while later they lay together, Olivia with her head on his shoulder and hand rested over his toasty warm chest. "Noah likes to come into me in the morning…" she whispered softly, afraid of breaking the almost ethereal atmosphere.

Barba kissed her temple and hummed, "You need me to move out to sleep on the couch?"

Olivia groaned and held him close, "No, no…just…maybe we should shower and put some clothes on? I have some oversized joggers with a tie waist that should fit you."

He smiled gratefully and nodded, "And possibly change the sheets?"

She laughed and kissed his chest, "Not the worst idea you've ever had…"

They lay still for a few more moments. "You don't mind him knowing that we slept in here together?" He finally asked.

"I want this, Rafa," she said simply, "…Noah wants this. This evening at dinner he even asked if Santa could bring you for Christmas so that you could play Lego together on Christmas Day. He offered to cancel all of his other orders from Santa if he could just have that."

Barba breathed in sharply.

Olivia continued, "I told him that then he would have no new Lego to play with you, but he said that would be fine as he had lots of Lego that you haven't played with yet so he didn't think that you would mind."

"Liv…" Barba said softly.

She stroked over his chest, "Don't worry, I explained that Santa doesn't transport people on Christmas Eve and with all of the toys on his sleigh he would never fit you on-board."

Barba pulled her close and kissed over her forehead.

"He loves you, Rafa," Olivia assured. "You don't have to worry about his acceptance, just promise me that you will never…" she teared up a little, "…just never break _his_ heart."

Barba's eyes welled with tears at the rare vulnerability in her voice, then he looked at her vehemently, " _Never._ I swear. I love your son. I love you. I'm afraid you're stuck with me now."

"I think we can live with that." She sat up and looked down at him, "So, what do you think about sharing a shower?"

"I'm _completely_ in favor of shower sharing," he confirmed with a smirk.

"No, I mean - we really do need some sleep. It must be heading toward three and Noah is bound to be up by six." Her bottom lip actually pouted out a little, so Barba smiled and sat up to kiss it gently.

"I can control myself, mi amor," he assured.

She grinned, "You're assuming that _I_ can?"

He chuckled, "Shower, then sleep?"

Olivia shook her head, "Shower - then you can change the bed while I get Noah's gifts out and put them under the tree?"

Barba tilted his head and then nodded. "Deal," he agreed. That actually sounded wonderful.

_TBC…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 - Candy cane sweet Christmas day family fluff.
> 
> Chapter 4 - A New Year chapter, so will be posted before January 1st.
> 
> December is obviously busy for everyone, so while I will try to update my other story [Rediscovered] there is a chance that it might have to wait until after New Year.
> 
> Chapter 3 of this story has a 100% pre-Christmas guaranteed though!


	3. All I Want for Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Christmas fluff!

Just a couple of hours later, Barba woke and breathed in deeply as he immediately recognised Olivia's familiar and enticing scent. His eyes remained closed as he luxuriated in her warmth and… _God,_ the way his hand seemed to fit perfectly around the curve of her hip.

He breathed in again, without even considering opening his eyes, and then nuzzled into her hair. He was spooned behind the woman he loved, holding her close yet somehow feeling safe and held for the first time in as long as he could remember.

Nothing had ever felt as good as waking up next to Olivia on Christmas Morning.

The wide neck of her old t-shirt had slipped down her arm, so Barba nuzzled in and traced his lips along her bare shoulder. "Please, tell me that last night wasn't just a world-class dream and I'm really waking up with you in my arms?" He whispered softly.

"If you're dreamin' then so am I, so I really don't want to wake up…" Olivia hummed and snuggled back against him, _"…hush."_

_"Hush?"_ Barba teased with mock indignation. His fingers caressed her bare stomach and then stroked along the underside of one of her breasts. He smiled when she let out a soft breath and moved his thumb to flick up over her nipple, drawing it taut under his touch.

Olivia turned her head toward him. "Do I need to find a way of shutting you up? You know that I can..." She warned with an affectionate yet sleepy tone, her eyes still closed.

"I can definitely think of a few…" Barba acknowledged and pulled back a little. He lifted one leg over hers as she rolled to lay on her back, then took a moment to gaze down at her before leaning to lightly trace his lips over her cheeks, nose and smiling mouth. "You are heartbreakingly beautiful, Olivia Benson," he finally whispered near her ear.

Barba groaned when she kissed him deeply. Her tongue lazily slid along his, then her hand combed into his hair and aroused a deep shudder down his spine.

"No chocolate, but you still taste amazing," Olivia observed, then her eyes finally blinked open. "This is a lovely way to wake up," she acknowledged as her mouth moved along his rough jawline, "…but can I ask again? _Why_ are you waking me up right now? We didn't get to sleep until gone three."

"It's Christmas morning!" He informed her with a teasing yet almost infuriating enthusiasm.

"Rafa!" She growled and reached behind to grab her pillow. She thwacked him lightly on the side of the face and Barba looked momentarily shocked…then grinned broadly.

"Like that, is it?" He asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Oh, it's definitely like that!" Olivia smirked, then she gasped when Barba snatched the pillow and held it lightly over her face for a few seconds. "Right! That's it!" She laughed and climbed up onto her knees. She grabbed another pillow, shoved him until he was lying on his back with his feet near the headrest, then whacked him a few times - simultaneously slipping her hand under his shirt and tickling his side.

Noah had heard the noises and came running in. He slid to a stop near the bedroom door, surprised at the sight of his mommy laughing joyously while beating his Uncle Rafa up with a pillow, then he heard his surrogate uncle's deep carefree chuckle and ran for the bed.

"Pillow fight!" He yelled and jumped up, grabbing a pillow and hitting his mommy on the back.

"Hey!" Olivia laughed, "Two against one!"

Barba sat up in surprise at Noah sudden arrival, then took advantage of her distraction to grab Olivia around the waist and flip her onto her back. "All's fair in love and Christmas morning pillow fights, mi amor!" He told her with a smirk and then reached out to wrap his arms around Noah.

Noah laughed and then screamed with excitement when Barba tickled him, then he joyfully gasped for breath as he found himself surrounded in a safe cocoon of his Mommy's bed and his Uncle Rafa's arms.

"Uncle Rafa!" He squealed as Barba leapt out of bed, then tossed him over his shoulder like a fireman and rushed for the door. He looked back at his Mommy, who was laughing and quickly jumped out of bed to follow them from the room.

Both Uncle Rafa and Mommy had big smiles this morning and Noah was pleased that they were as excited about Christmas as he was. Although he thought maybe Mommy was also pleased that Uncle Rafa had come to visit.

Noah was spun through the air, then when he finally focused on the tree his mommy was kneeling nearby and the lights were on.

"Okay, my sweet boy," Olivia said with a wide smile, "…you can open your _two_ gifts from Santa now, then breakfast."

Noah pouted a little.

"Uncle Rafa has to go home after breakfast to get some clothes," Olivia explained, "…don't you want to wait so that we can open our gifts together?"

On reflection, Noah liked that idea. "Like a family?" He suggested.

Olivia smiled at Barba as he moved to sit next to her on the floor. "Just like a family," she agreed.

"So you _are_ coming back?" Noah checked with Barba.

"Actually," Olivia replied for him, "…I was thinking that if Uncle Rafa packed a bag he could come stay with us for a couple of days. What do you think?"

Noah nodded quickly, "Uncle Rafa _and_ presents! Yes, Mommy! Please!"

Olivia chuckled softly and leaned against Barba's toasty warm body, she loved that Noah was acting as though having the man she loved with them for Christmas was a gift to him. As though she was doing her son a favor.

"Well?" Barba inquired and nodded at the boxes Noah was cradling in his arms.

Noah looked down at the momentarily forgotten parcels, then nodded quickly before tearing the first one open. Lego! Even better, _Dinosaur Lego!_

"That one looks pretty difficult, so maybe you could make it with Uncle Rafa?" Olivia suggested, quietly relieved that she would be let off hours of Lego, although suddenly quite tempted to join _her boys_ for a little casual building.

Noah grinned as though that sounded even better. "Can you, Uncle Rafa? Will you help me?" He asked.

Barba nodded and subtly stroked the back of his hand along Olivia's thigh. "I'd love too," he agreed enthusiastically.

Noah looked at the other box, then smiled at his mommy.

"Go on!" Olivia encouraged.

He quickly ripped it open. "A tie! With Lego!" Noah grinned and looked at Barba. "Look! Just like yours!"

"Noah wanted a tie like his Uncle Rafa," Olivia explained to Barba with a smile, "…so we asked Santa. In fact…" She leaned over and picked up another box from under the tree, then passed it to Barba.

He smiled and looked at the tag, reading it out loud, "To Uncle Rafa, from Santa!"

Noah gasped, "Santa usually only brings presents to kids, Uncle Rafa, so you must have been a _really_ good boy this year!"

Olivia grinned and leaned against her lover a little more. "Definitely," she assured her son. Then she smiled at Barba, who met her eyes with a warm glow. "Open it!" She encouraged, "Noah and I have a gift for you, but this is just a little something we asked Santa to bring."

Barba smiled with intrigue and then opened the parcel to find an adult-sized matching tie with Lego pieces all over it. "I love it," Barba smiled proudly.

His little friend crawled over on his knees to look at the tie. "It's just like mine," he announced happily. "We match!"

After a few moments, Noah's smile dropped a little and he glanced thoughtfully at his presents, then the Christmas tree. "You _will_ come back, Uncle Rafa? You really do swear?"

Barba frowned with a little concern at Noah's sudden insecurity. "Of course I will," he assured, "...I promise."

"But if you're magic, if you're a Christmas miracle, you might vanish…" Noah pointed out.

Olivia pulled her son onto her lap. "Baby, Uncle Rafa isn't magic, he's just your Uncle Rafa. The same Uncle Rafa who plays Lego with you, reads you bedtime stories when he's working late with Mommy and helps you with your Spanish homework."

"So…" Noah looked up at Barba, "…Uncle Rafa is not here because I wished for him? Like _The Snowman_?"

Olivia laughed, "Baby, Uncle Rafa is here because he loves us and he wants to spend Christmas with us…and I promise tomorrow morning he will still be here."

"You won't be able to get rid of me," Barba teased and leaned over to kiss his head. He was trying to sound lighthearted but was genuinely touched by how invested Noah was in having him here.

"You could stay for New Year?" Noah suggested. He felt like he was on a roll now, maybe he could eventually ask Uncle Rafa to stay until Easter!

"I have to work New Year," Olivia reminded Noah, "…and you never stay awake until midnight." She looked at Barba and reconsidered, "Actually, you could...if you aren't busy? I have asked Lucy to sit, but I'm sure that she has other things she could be doing and I should be home by 1?"

"You want me to spend New Year alone with your unconscious son?" Barba asked dryly.

"Not if you have plans," Olivia assured.

He smiled and shook his head, "That sounds perfect. Noah and I will be fine, and if he stays awake we could make non-alcoholic cocktails and see in the New Year like gentlemen of style."

"You're sure?" Olivia asked. "I mean, if I'd known about…" she trailed off and smiled, "…I would have booked the night off."

"If you'd known about what Mommy?" Noah asked.

"Nothing for _you_ to worry about!" Olivia assured and tickled her son. "Tell you what, let's get our coats, gloves and scarves…we can have breakfast and go for a ride to Uncle Rafa's, then stop at the park on the way home. What do you think?"

"Yesss!" Noah cried and rushed off to his room.

"You don't have to come out in the cold," Barba assured as Olivia took the opportunity to curl one leg around him and snuggle closer to his warmth.

"Mmmmmm…" she replied, then trailed her lips to the crook of his neck before breathing in his scent. "Maybe Noah has a point, I'm not ready to let you out of my sight yet."

* * *

Two hours later, Olivia walked down the hallway to Barba's bedroom and found that he had already changed and was packing some things into a bag.

"Remember, be generous with that packing. It's cold at night so I'm planning on keeping you around," Olivia teased as she leaned against the doorframe.

Barba looked up at her and smiled, revealing himself to be wearing a dark green Rudolph sweater, "What am I? Your heated blanket?"

Olivia grinned now, her eyes sparkling as she appreciated the sweater and raked her eyes over him with naked desire.

"What is it with you and ridiculous Christmas apparel?" Barba laughed.

Olivia stepped closer and stroked her hands over his chest. "It's not the sweaters," she leaned in to kiss along his jaw, "…it's _you._ You looking all domestic and Christmassy. It's really sexy, Rafa…" She smirked at him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "You can keep this on for me later," she whispered with a gleam in her eyes as her lips moved toward his again.

"Wait," Barba said quickly just before her lips met his. He reached to fiddle with the hem - then after a moment, Rudolph's nose lit up.

"Rafa…" Olivia said with exaggerated huskiness, "…that is so fucking _hot."_

Barba laughed deeply as her lips touched his.

She kissed his mouth and then moved to teasingly swipe her tongue up his neck.

"Mommy, what _are_ you doing?" Noah asked from his spot just behind Olivia.

They both stepped apart quickly with synchronous gasps of _"Noah!"_

Noah smiled at them both in amusement and then finally his eyes landed on Barba.

"Uncle Rafa, was Mommy _licking_ you?!" He asked with raised eyebrows.

Barba opened and closed his mouth, glanced at Olivia with wide eyes, and then looked back at her son. "I…" he tried to find the words, "…Noah, sometimes when grownups are really good friends, when they like each other a lot, well, when they more than like each other…well, sometimes grownups…"

Noah gave up and looked at his mommy. "Mommy, what's wrong with Uncle Rafa?" He asked. "He's talking funny. Has his silly sweater hurt his brain?"

Olivia grinned at Barba and then looked back at her son. "I think Uncle Rafa is a little worry that we might have upset or confused you."

Noah thought for a second, "Mommy, does Uncle Rafa like when you lick him? If you lick Uncle Rafa does that mean he'll visit more?"

Olivia burst out laughing and then smiled teasingly at Barba, who still looked humorously flustered. "What do you think, Rafa? If I promise to lick you every single time, do you think you might visit more often?"

The often guarded ADA Barba had no hope of retaining his unflappable image when faced with his lieutenant and her son. _"'Livia…"_ he pleaded.

Olivia rolled her eyes in amusement, then stepped forward and took Noah's hand. As she walked him toward Barba's bed she glanced back at the dazed ADA, winked and then grabbed the neck of his sweater, pulling him along with them.

Noah looked back and laughed as he watched his Uncle Rafa being toed along.

Olivia released Barba and then lifted her son onto an ottoman at the end of the bed - now they were standing at nearly the same eye-level. "Noah, I was kissing your Uncle Rafa. Do you know what that means? When grownups kiss each other?" She asked.

Noah nodded. "It means…" he frowned, then finally realised that he wasn't entirely sure so shook his head.

Olivia thought for a moment and then tried to explain, "Noah, I'm going to start dating your Uncle Rafa - like girlfriends and boyfriends. That means he'll be around a lot more often and when he visits you might see us kiss a little. It will also mean some days out, just the three of us...then sometimes we might go out on our own and leave you at home with Lucy. These changes will mean a lot more sleepovers like last night, when Uncle Rafa will stay in with me. What do you think?"

Noah bit his lip over a wide smile. "I like Uncle Rafa a lot, he's my favorite..." he paused and then added, "...after you."

Olivia laughed and tickled him, "Gee, thanks!"

"So you're okay with this?" Barba checked cautiously as he stepped closer.

Noah smiled at him, "I wanted to ask Santa if he could bring you for Christmas…but I didn't know that Mommy had asked for you first!"

They both laughed now, then Barba glanced at Olivia who nodded and confirmed that Noah was clearly okay and he didn't need to worry.

"You can lick Uncle Rafa if you want to, Mommy," Noah informed Olivia graciously, and then scrunched up his nose with more than a little disgust, "…grownups are so _weird!"_

Olivia rolled her eyes and laughed, "Thank you, baby."

"Uncle Rafa is still my favorite Christmas present," Noah added, "…even if I do have to share."

Barba's heart was hammering in his chest. He hadn't even allowed himself to think about what he wanted for Christmas, but nothing could have been better than this. "So, I guess I can leave your gifts here then?" He asked with humor dancing in his eyes.

"Presents!" Noah cheered and moved to bounce excitedly on his bed.

Olivia went to stop him but Barba rested his hand on her forearm and shook his head when she glanced back. _He's fine,_ he mouthed silently and then quickly leaned in to kiss her temple. Honestly, watching Noah bounce on his bed felt amazing.

After a few moments, Noah grinned and jumped down. He ran toward the bedroom door and then called back over his shoulder, "Mommy, when you're done licking Uncle Rafa, are we going to the park?"

Olivia flushed a little, laughed in despair and then rested her forehead on Barba's shoulder. "I don't want to make an issue out of it, but we need to subtly get _that_ out of his system…it could be really embarrassing."

* * *

They spent over an hour at the park, but when Noah announced that he was beginning to get cold they all decided to walk back home for a warm drink.

"Presents!" Noah announced excitedly as he pulled off all of his outdoor clothing while Olivia collected and hung it up.

"How about if we let Uncle Rafa put his sleepover bag into my room first? I'll make some extra-special Christmas hot chocolate with caramel and marshmallows. We can meet under the tree in…" she paused and exaggeratedly looked at her watch, "…ten minutes for present opening!"

Noah nodded excitedly and ran toward his bedroom.

Olivia looked at Barba and then stepped over to wrap her arms around him. "You okay?" She checked in.

He kissed her and smiled. "Absolutely. My whole life has just turned upside down…" Olivia looked a little concerned so he kissed her again, "…in the _best_ possible way," he assured.

"Sure?" She checked.

"I love you, Olivia Benson," he replied, "…and I love your son. We'll work everything else out. My favorite ad-hoc clause in our new situation is the promise that you'll lick me every time I visit."

Olivia smirked and rolled her eyes. "Trust me, that's a two-sided win," she assured, then kissed just under his ear and flicked her tongue across his skin. "Now, go drop your things in my room and hang your coat up - I have chocolate to make and our Christmas lunch to check on," Olivia directed and patted his ass lightly as she walked away.

Barba groaned a little, then rolled his eyes and turned toward her bedroom.

"I quickly cleared out half of my second drawer for you before we left," she called to him casually as he walked out of sight, "…I know it's not much, but it's a start. I don't want you living out of a bag."

He paused in shock just outside her room - the ease in which she had already begun to make space for him in her life cause tears to well in his eyes for a moment, before he forced himself to brush them off and carry on.

* * *

Noah sat next to the tree surrounded by toys and discarded wrapping. He was holding his recently re-warmed hot chocolate with two hands and still almost vibrating with pent up excitement.

"Careful, baby, you'll spill it," Olivia warned.

The little boy nodded and took a sip, trying really hard to sit still. "I still have one more, Mommy!"

Olivia smiled, "You do...and I feel like you saved this for last, didn't you?"

Noah grinned and reached out to grab the box. "Uncle Rafa's present!" He announced.

"Okay, so let's see!" Olivia encouraged him and shifted a little closer to Barba. They were already sitting side by side on the floor, but now she ran her hand over to rest inside his thigh and lay her head on his shoulder.

Noah ripped open the parcel and stared at it, he looked up at Barba with his mouth open. "Uncle Rafa, what is it?"

"It's a robot," Barba explained. "It's a bit like Lego, you build the robot yourself, it has wires and circuit boards…and well, I thought we could make it together. When it's finished it has a remote control and it-"

He was cut off when Noah jumped into his lap and wrapped his arms around his neck. "Uncle Rafa," he gasped, "…it's like _magic!"  
_  
Barba looked to his side in surprise and saw Olivia smiling at him tearfully. She mouthed 'perfect' and slipped her hand into his as Barba stroked the other up Noah's back.

Eventually, the little boy pulled away, but then surprised both adults a little when he remained sat on Barba's lap.

"You have a box from Uncle Rafa too, Mommy!" He encouraged eagerly.

Olivia looked at the box and smiled at them both. "Should I open it?" She reached to move the beautifully wrapped gift onto her lap.

"It's not much," Barba said, "…well, more like a few small presents really."

Olivia smiled at him with intrigue and then carefully pulled back the paper, she opened the box and found a collection of gifts. Unbelievably soft dark red pyjamas, that felt so warm and comfortable she almost wanted to go and put them on. A box of chocolates from her favorite chocolatier, and finally, a copy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's book, which she opened to find inscribed _, Olivia - Always be the change that you want to see in the world. Thank you for all you do, Ruth Bader Ginsburg._

She looked up at Barba with tears in her eyes. They weren't flashy gifts - grand gestures, sexy lingerie, expensive jewellery - they were beautiful and thoughtful gifts given to her by someone who loves her...who _really_ knows her.

"Rafa…" She smiled and stroked over her pyjamas before looking at her book again. "How did you even...?" She raised an eyebrow.

Barba smiled, "I have contacts _everywhere."_ He laughed and shook his head. "Actually, we met at a social event in DC and I guess I told her about you. I didn't mention it because I didn't want to spoil the surprise."

Olivia wrapped her arm around him and turned her head to kiss his shoulder, "They're perfect, Rafa. Perfect, thoughtful and beautiful gifts."

"Mommy likes her presents, Uncle Rafa!" Noah told him happily.

"I really do, my sweet boy," Olivia smiled.

"Uncle Rafa's!" Noah said excitedly. Then jumped off his knee and crawled over to collect two boxes from under the tree. He frowned and shook the smaller one. "This is different, Mommy, it had green wrapping when we did it the other day."

Olivia smiled, "Well spotted, baby. I actually rewrapped it."

Noah tilted his head but didn't ask when or why, he just looked to Barba expectantly.

"Well…" Barba looked at both gifts, he could see that the larger box was from Olivia and the smaller from Noah. "How about I save this special one until last?" Barba suggested and held up the small box.

Noah smiled and nodded proudly.

Then Barba opened his gift from Olivia, pulling back the paper to find a book and a smaller box inside. _"The Whole Island - Six Decades of Cuban Poetry,"_ Barba read the book cover out loud and smiled at Olivia.

"I'm sure that you have a lot already, but…" Olivia shrugged.

"I love it, really," Barba assured and flicked open the book to scan through the index. He smiled, Olivia's Spanish was really good and he liked the idea of sharing these with her. In the smaller box, he found what he knew to be a ridiculously expensive blue and pink striped silk tie, with a matching pocket square. It was perfect. He smiled at her, "Liv, I don't know what to say, you shouldn't have."

She smiled, "You can wear it to work and…"

"…Think of you," he finished.

"You need to wear a tie to remember Mommy?" Noah asked.

"Never," Barba assured, "…but just like when I wear our Lego tie, wearing this tie will be extra special because a little part of Mommy will be next to my heart all day."

Noah smiled, he liked the sound of that. "Will you wear _our_ tie to work, Uncle Rafa?"

"Noah, maybe Uncle Rafa won't feel comfortable…" Olivia started.

Barba's hand rested on her leg and she stopped. "There will be days, like when I'm in court talking to the judge about something very serious, that I won't be able to. Then there will be days when I will be very proud to wear our fun Lego tie to work."

Noah nodded, very happy with that. "Open mine!" He said with an excited bounce.

Olivia was proud to see that her son was possibly equally excited about watching the people he loves open their presents.

Barba opened his gift from Noah and found a wooden keychain with a pattern on.

"It's your Spotify code!" Noah laughed and angled to look at it. "I know you like music and this is you, just _you!"_ The little boy looked more carefully and reached out. "You have a key!" He looked at his mommy, the key was new.

Olivia reached out and took the keychain, "Noah picked this out for you especially," she explained to Barba, "…so I thought maybe it needed a key." She looked at Noah, "A key so that Uncle Rafa can let himself in when he visits, so he knows that he is always welcome."

Noah grinned and nodded, "Mommy, that's a really good idea!" He took the key and peered at it happily before handy it to his slightly stunned-looking Uncle Rafa. "I was really happy that you came last night, Uncle Rafa, but it's very sensible of Mommy to give you a key. Now you can let yourself in for sleepovers without waking me up!"

Barba and Olivia both laughed now and Noah smiled proudly.

"Food soon!" She finally announced and began to stand.

"Let me help," Barba insisted.

"Oh, no!" Olivia replied and ran her hand over his head as she moved to walk toward the kitchen and check on their meal. "You play with Noah, it's Christmas day…"

Barba was about to argue when he looked over at Noah's enthusiastic grin and sighed. "Okay…" he agreed, "...but I'm on wash up."

"I can live with that," Olivia called back happily.

* * *

Olivia looked over at Barba and Noah, she smiled at the way her son was watching everything her lover did with such captivation…and then there was the concentration on the ADA's face as he showed Noah his progress on the small circuit board in his hands!

They had brought out the dining table, then she had quickly decorated it for their meal and was now beginning to serve up. "Boys, time to eat, go and wash your hands!"

Noah was about to complain, but then watched his Uncle Rafa quickly pack everything away and followed his lead. He ran behind Barba into the bathroom, stretching out and running his hands under the warm water alongside him, then laughing when he was swiped on the end of his nose with soapy water. He ran back through and looked excitedly at the table - two chairs on one side and one on the other. "I want to sit next to Uncle Rafa!" He said quickly and rushed to claim his seat.

"I guessed you would," Olivia laughed and then put their plates down on the table, before sitting opposite the space which had been left for Barba.

"This is for you!" Noah said and pointed at the chair next to him as soon as Barba walked around the corner.

Barba smiled and sat down opposite Olivia. "Shall we say grace?" He suggested.

Olivia nodded, "Sure, that would be nice."

"Say what?" Noah asked.

"We say thank you to God for our food," Olivia explained.

Noah looked at the plates of food and frowned, "Mommy, _you_ made our food!"

Barba laughed, "Okay, so how about we say thank you to God for all the things we have to be especially grateful for this Christmas?"

Noah smiled now and nodded enthusiastically, "Yes!"

Barba took his hand and reached across to slip the other into Olivia's, then she reached over the table a little awkwardly for Noah's.

Olivia nodded at Barba.

"Dear God," he began softly, "thank you for this wonderful meal and for this beautiful day together. Please bless…" he looked up at Olivia, "…our _family_ and friends in the year ahead and let us take time to think about all the people who may not be as lucky as we are. Amen."

"And thank God for Uncle Rafa - who remembered to come for Christmas, even though he arrived very late and woke me up!" Noah added.

Olivia laughed, "Yes. Thank God for Uncle Rafa - in spite of his poor timekeeping!"

Barba smirked and lightly tapped the side of her leg with his foot, then his eyes warmed and he held her gaze as he stroked his toes up and down her calf.

Noah picked up his knife and fork and began to eat, then paused and looked at the grownups. "Mommy, you're looking at Uncle Rafa the same way Uncle Sonny looks at a chocolate pudding, your food will go cold."

Olivia flushed a little, smiled at her son and then nodded, "Thank you, baby."

* * *

A couple of hours later, Olivia walked through from Noah's bedroom to find Barba wiping down the kitchen surfaces. His cell rang and he stopped to answer it, so she hesitated in the entrance - simply taking a moment to watch him. The way he held himself, the soft smile as he glanced at the screen and the warm tone in his voice when he answered. She found everything about him alluring and was struggling to remember how she had ever managed to control herself.

"Mami," he answered genially. He was quiet for a few moments then laughed softly and shook his head. "I'm not Macaulay Culkin, Mami, I'm not eight-years-old...and actually, I'm not even alone." He looked up, sensing her watching, then he smiled and seemed to come to a decision when he beckoned her over. "You remember Olivia?" He asked his mom as she walked over. He put his cell on speaker and held it out in front of them, then wrapped his free arm around her and pulled her into his side.

**_"...lovely young woman you work with,"_ **Lucia completed as her voice filled the room. ** _"I liked her, Mijo, you need someone who will keep you on your toes and she has grit, you can see that in the sparkle in her eyes."_**

Olivia grinned and turned her lips to his ear. "I think your mother approves of me!" She whispered, her lips tracing lightly over his skin.

Barba laughed softly and squeezed her waist.

**_"Is someone there with you? You said you weren't alone?"_ **Lucia asked, suddenly registering her son's words.

"Let's just say I'm pleased that your review was positive or the conversation could have gone downhill quickly," Barba teased dryly.

"Olivia is there with you?" Lucia asked, clearly surprised.

"To be accurate, I'm here with Olivia and her son Noah. They've invited me to spend Christmas at their place," Barba explained, "...you're actually on speaker."

**_"Oh, my...well, I'm very sorry if I spoke out of turn, Olivia,"_** Lucia said with slight embarrassment in her tone, **_"...you know how mothers can be, always trying to pair up our sons. This was very kind of you."_**

"Not at all," Olivia assured and snuggled into Barba's side, "...and honestly, please don't thank me. Having Rafa here with us has completed our Christmas. We really should be thanking you."

**_"Thanking me?"_** Lucia asked, her voice now laced with confusion and humor.

Olivia looked into Barba's eyes with an unspoken question.

He didn't know exactly what she was asking but he got the gist - was his mother allowed to know? He smiled and kissed her forehead, "I'd shout it from the rooftops," he replied easily, "...I'd be doing just that if it weren't so cold outside."

She laughed and kissed him.

**_"Shout what, mijo?"_ **Lucia said with growing intrigue and an obvious smile.

"I wanted to thank you for _Rafael._ For sending such a wonderful man into my life," Olivia replied easily as she watched his eyes widen. "A man my son adores and respects, and who I love more than I even dreamed was possible...and maybe also thank you for going away and leaving him with no other option than to suffer through my cooking for Christmas this year."

Both Barba and Lucia were silent for several moments until Lucia finally spoke, her voice clearly choked up with tears.

**_"Oh, my dear, I...I can't even begin to tell you how welcome you are,"_ **she said softly, ** _"...I..."_**

Barba brought the hand holding his cell up to the side of Olivia's face and pulled her close, he kissed her gently and then looked steadily into her eyes for a moment before bringing the cell back down. "As you can tell, there have been a few changes since you went away," he told his mom, his voice a little rough with the emotion of listening to what Olivia had told her. Never in his life had he felt more proud or more loved.

They could both hear the broad smile in Lucia's voice when she replied, "And I couldn't be more pleased, I'm honestly a little overwhelmed."

"When do you get home, Lucia?" Olivia asked her voice only slightly affected by the way her lover's hand was currently stroking up and down her spine.

_**"January 3rd, just after New Year,"** _Lucia replied.

"Come to dinner?" Olivia asked. "I'd love to get to know you better and I know Noah would like to meet you."

Lucia was quiet for a moment, _ **"You said that your son adores my Rafi?"**_

Olivia smiled at Barba and nodded, "Lucia, he is enchanted by your son. All he wanted was for his Uncle Rafa to join us for Christmas."

"Mami, I can hear your _Abuelita_ gears turning," Barba teased in a casual way that he knew would astonish his mother, "...we'll get there, just give us a little time."

" ** _Time?"_** Lucia asked a little breathlessly, tears evident in her voice.

"Rafael is my closest friend and I already know that my future lies with him," Olivia explained. "We took a while getting here, Lucia, but losing him is not even an option. I'm all in."

"They're everything to me, Mami," Barba added.

**_"I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to meeting them both properly,"_ **Lucia paused, **_"...I'm keeping you from your day, I'm sure Noah must be waiting for both of you."_**

"I can't remember the last time Noah had an afternoon nap, but he's out like a light," Olivia assured her, "so I'm hoping for an hour or so of quality time with Rafa."

**_"Well, then go and enjoy some time together,"_** Lucia encouraged. ** _"Happy Christmas, my loves."_**

"Goodbye, Happy Christmas," Barba replied warmly, "Te quiero, mamí!"

**_"Te quiero mucho, mijo,"_ **Lucia added, **_"...and your beautiful amor."_**

"Goodbye, Lucia, see you soon..." Olivia said and then Barba ended the call.

He put his cell to one side on the counter and took Olivia into his arms. "You're _amazing,"_ he told her softly, "te quiero con todo mi corazón."

Olivia smiled, then leaned in and kissed him.

"Is Noah okay?" Barba asked.

"Just a little overexcited," she assured.

"Or, as he keeps reminding me, it might be because _someone_ gave him a disturbed night's sleep," Barba suggested with a smirk.

Olivia laughed and rested her cheek on his shoulder as she looked out of the window. "I can't believe it's starting to get dark already, we shouldn't let him sleep for long..." She observed.

He turned, pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and stroked his hands up her waist. "We could wake him in an hour or so, tempt him with a Christmas movie?" he suggested.

Olivia tipped her hips teasingly against his, arching an eyebrow when she felt him react to the friction. "A whole hour," she suggested with mock innocence, "…what shall we do to entertain ourselves?"

Barba's eyes danced, "Really?"

She stroked her hand over his chest, poking her finger against Rudolph's red nose before pulling on the waistband of his jeans. "I mean, it's always a shame to waste an opportunity...dating a single mother, you're going to have to learn to be flexible."

The corner of his mouth turned up and his eyes flamed with desire. "Whenever wherever…" he assured, "...I'll always be more than delighted to make love to you for hours, or..."

"...Maybe fuck me in the bathroom?" Olivia suggested, then drew him forward by his trousers before slipping her hand into his and pulling him toward the room. Once inside she quickly turned the lock before backing him against the sink.

"Rafa…" she smiled and kissed him, immediately deepening the kiss and tucking her hands underneath his sweater. She groaned in frustration and tugged on his undershirt.

"It's cold, mi amor, layers are impor-" he started to retort, only to cut himself off with a groan when one of her hands moved down to stroke over his crotch.

She smirked against his mouth, nipped his bottom lip lightly and then slowly trailed her lips down his neck before sinking down to her knees.

"'Livia," he closed his eyes and swallowed hard as he felt her lift up his sweater and undershirt before tracing her lips slowly across his belly. His head dropped back and his mouth open. _"Dios…"_ he hissed.

Olivia moved to quickly unfasten his flies and reveal his already responding length. "I do love your cock," she teased softly and smiled up at him.

Her words combined with her breath against his sensitised skin made his knees buckle. "You don't have to…" he started to utter breathlessly.

Olivia arched an eyebrow and waited until he looked down at her. "You're gorgeous," she told him with a hungry gaze and then lifted him gently and licked up the underside before taking him completely into her mouth.

Barba's breath shortened but could not look away. Watching as Olivia teased behind his balls then slowly stroked him in and out of her mouth as he lengthened and grew to fully erect under her administrations.

No longer able to fit him fully inside her mouth she sucked and rolled her tongue around his broad head, then smiled and teased him lightly with her teeth before flicking her tongue along his already leaking slit.

He stopped breathing now, watching with his mouth open as her lips encircled his cock and slowly drew him back into her mouth, stroking him up and down a few times without taking her eyes from his.

"Liv…" he almost sobbed and then sucked in a deep breath when she tilted her jaw a little and took him into her throat. As she pulled back for a breath, he bent and encouraged Olivia onto her feet, then turned them so that she was now against the bathroom counter. "I adore you," he growled out and kissed her, quickly unfastening and pushing her jeans and underwear down her legs.

Olivia laughed with a little surprise and then hummed when he lifted her up onto the surface and stroked through her dripping and swollen folds. "I'm ready," she assured. She grazed his jaw with her teeth and flicked out her tongue to taste the salty sweat gleaming on his skin, "…I've been ready since I _tasted_ you."

Barba grunted and nudged her lips back up for a kiss, their tongues stroking against each other slowly as he lined up and then drove home with one smooth stroke.

"God, _yeeeeah…"_ she groaned and worked quickly to kick off her pants before wrapping her legs around his waist and arching against him, pulling his body as close to her as possible. "Rudy has to go," she ordered desperately, then yanked off his sweater and shirt. "Better," she smiled and kissed him. Her hands stroked down, revelling in the flex of his perfect ass as he thrust firmly inside her.

Breathing heavily now their lips moved to each other's neck - sucking, biting and teasing as they moved together, both already feeling their climax building. Barba tugged up her shirt and stroked over her back, humming with satisfaction at the feeling of her soft warm skin under his fingers.

Olivia clenched her internal muscles and tasted his skin. "You're _mine…"_ she gasped out almost tearfully as she came, the possessive tone in her voice pulling Barba over the edge and causing him to release inside her.

After a few moments, they clung together as their breaths finally began to slow. Olivia held him inside, her legs were still wrapped tightly around him as her nails scratched gently over the back of his neck.

"I could…" she held her breath, then Barba pulled back a little and met her eyes when he heard tears in her voice.

"Olivia?" He asked her with concern and held her gaze - so close that their noses still brushed against each other.

"I could really…" Olivia paused and shook her head, "…I love you, Rafa, I have for a long time. But I know that I could really fall into this, into you, harder than I've ever allowed myself to before. That scares me. Please don't…" she looked into his loving and concerned eyes, "…God, please don't…"

She couldn't say the words and seeing Olivia more vulnerable than he had ever witnessed, even at the very worst moments of her life, rocked Barba to his core. While he was terrified he also took a moment to realise what they could both have together...if only he allowed himself to be that vulnerable. To be this brave.

But she had always inspired him to be brave.

Barba shook his head quickly and brought his hands up to either side of her face. "Never, 'Livia. _Never._ I would never hurt you, not knowingly. Never leave you, not by choice. I said that we have things to work through, and we do...but you can trust this. You can trust me. You're…" he sighed and tilted his head, unsure of what he was trying to say. He paused and then said the only thing that sounded right in the moment, "…I feel like I've been alone every single day of my life until I met you. I would rather die than hurt you."

Tears fell down Olivia's cheeks and she leaned in to kiss him. "Family?" She asked softly.

"Family," he nodded assuredly, "…I _am_ yours."

Olivia swallowed hard and kissed him, already feeling herself falling into a hole that she could never even hope to climb out of - but suddenly feeling a little less scared because she knew that he was falling down there with her.

Barba hummed and then smiled as their lips parted. "I love you," he said softly.

Olivia smiled, "Shower? Then we could wake Noah for our Christmas movie? I might even change into my beautiful new pyjamas."

Barba nodded, "Have you introduced him to _Home Alone_ yet?"

She laughed and shook her head, "Not yet, but that sounds great." Then after a moment, she dropped her face to his shoulder and added, "Rafa, I'm _really_ fucking tired."

He stroked his hand soothingly through her hair. "Me too..." he admitted, "...bed straight after Noah?"

"To sleep?" Olivia smirked.

"To sleep," Barba agreed wholeheartedly, "...with you in my arms."

Olivia grinned and then move back a little to kiss him, "Sounds perfect."

_TBC… (New Year)_


	4. With You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rafael, Olivia and Noah's New Year chapter... 🥳

On New Years Eve morning Barba woke as he had for the last few days, with his arms wrapped around Olivia Benson. This morning he found her sleeping heavily with her face pressed against his side and her arm wrapped over his waist.

He leaned down to kiss her temple, then took a moment to watch her sleep and smiled when she smacked her lips together quietly before nuzzling against his warm skin.

"Livia…" he whispered softly.

She stirred a little and tightened her grip.

"Olivia," he tried slightly louder, "…I need to go, mi amor."

They had decided the evening before that it would be better if he left early so that he had time to go home to get some work clothes before heading into the office. That way he could be finished by mid-afternoon and come back to take over from Lucy.

Barba had reluctantly offered to go home last night in order to avoid waking her this morning, but Olivia had wrapped her arms around him tightly and insisted that being woken in the morning after a peaceful night sleeping in his embrace would always be preferable to sleeping without him.

Now she held on just as tightly.

"Livia, I really need to go," he said with humor in his voice as she smiled against his skin.

"I really can't see why we ever _need_ to leave this bed…" She joked softly, then kissed up his side, over his chest and finally crawled up to sleepily straddle his waist and caress her lips along his neck. "Stay?" she asked with a sleepy smile as her eyes finally opened.

"You are a cruel temptress, Lieutenant Benson," Barba chuckled and kissed her again, "…but you know that I need to leave now if I'm going to get home in time to liberate Lucy for her New Years Party."

Olivia sighed and rested their foreheads together, her eyes slipping closed again. "Always here with the persuasive arguments, counsellor," she complained and brushed her lips lightly over his. "One thorough morning kiss and I might think about letting you go?" She suggested with a smirk.

"That seems to be a highly satisfactory compromise," he agreed and then pushed up a little to kiss her lips. His fingers ran through Olivia's hair, his tongue teasing her softly at first then eagerly stroking his way passed her teeth before meeting hers in a slow, exploratory and sleepy dance.

Whole minutes later they broke apart a little breathlessly and Olivia rested her nose against his cheek. "If you want me to let you out of this bed you're not allowed to kiss me like that," she whispered with affection and desire.

"I don't know how to kiss you any other way," Barba replied softly.

Olivia smiled and pressed her lips to his again. _"Go…"_ she growled with frustration, "…before I change my mind and tie you to this bed!"

Barba groaned and arched up against her slightly.

Her eyes danced at his reaction. "Oh, you like that, do you?" She asked with amused intrigue.

He smirked and stroked his hand down to squeeze her ass. "I'd like _anything_ with you," he assured darkly, "but I understand if you're not into…"

Olivia laughed as she rolled to reluctantly let him out of bed. "I trust you, Rafa," she said as he began to move away and then turned to look back at her, "…completely. With _you_ absolutely nothing is off the table."

His eyes welled with tears and Barba leaned in to press his lips to hers fiercely as he silently thanked God for bringing this spectacular person into his life. "If I don't leave now there's no way I'll be able to go," he groaned and then slowly forced himself to get up. "Go back to sleep, mi amor, I'll try to drop by your office before I come home."

Olivia smiled as she snuggled into the pillow he had just vacated and breathed in deeply. She was already half-asleep when she felt his lips brush her forehead. "Love you..." she replied softly.

Barba ran his fingers through the ends of her hair and smiled. "I love you too, mi corazón," he whispered and then slipped through to the bathroom in order to change without further disturbing her.

* * *

Olivia arrived at work at a little after one that afternoon, already mentally preparing herself for what she suspected would be a shift filled with end-of-year paperwork and office politics. Dodds had asked if her team could be on hand in case they were needed, but she suspected that was more about making him look good. They had the usual shift in to deal with any developing cases, so unless anything critical or high-profile came up it should be a long and uneventful evening.

She walked through the unit and nodded hello at Fin, Amanda and Sonny. While she had taken some personal time over Christmas she knew that they'd been in for most of the week. "Anything new come up?" She asked.

Fin had been keeping her up to date via emails, but over the last few days leaving their domestic bubble had started to feel like a real wrench. However, case reviews had become a little more pleasant yesterday evening when she'd discovered work could be vastly improved when conducted sat between Rafael Barba's legs as he rubbed her shoulders and stroked gently through her hair.

"Not much since yesterday," Fin shrugged. "Good week? Not so many late-night emails…"

Olivia smiled, then looked back over her shoulder to check on Noah as he trailed behind her into the unit, dawdling along and already digging through his bag of toys and activities.

"Hey, kid!" Amanda greeted him.

"Hey, Auntie Manda," he replied with a warm smile, "…Uncle fin, Uncle Sonny…" He added, then continued digging through his bag.

Fin and Sonny said hello, then Olivia lifted him up to sit on the front of her sergeant's desk. "Lucy's picking him up in half-an-hour, is it okay if I leave him out here with you guys? He'll be good, won't you, Noah?"

Noah smiled and nodded, "Sure, Mommy."

"Not a problem," Fin replied and stood to pull a spare chair near to his desk. "You okay here?" He asked Noah.

"Not a problem," Noah echoed his words happily, then wandered over to settle down until Lucy arrived.

* * *

Several minutes later, Noah sat in the corner of the unit near Fin, Amanda and Sonny - happily digging into a chocolate pudding that his Uncle Sonny had given to him. He licked the spoon and held it up in front of him with quiet contemplation.

"You alright, kid?" Fin asked after a few moments.

"Uncle Fin, do people taste good?" Noah asked thoughtfully.

"I'm _sorry?"_ Fin asked with raised eyebrows, already regretting asking the question.

Sonny looked over at Amanda with wide eyes that said, _What has this kid been watching on TV?  
_  
"Do they taste nice? People…" He asked again and licked the back of his hand experimentally.

"People don't eat people, kid, people eat chicken," Fin pointed out, obviously not even mentioning the multiple cannibals currently shuffling through his mind and a little horrified by what Noah must be thinking about.

Noah laughed at his Uncle Fin and then grinned at Sonny and Amanda. "Uncle Fin is funny!" He said with a big smile. "I know people don't _eat_ people," he explained to Fin patiently, "…but, does their skin taste good?"

Amanda arched an eyebrow at Sonny and leaned forward. "I'm sorry, kid, _what?"_ She asked.

Noah looked at Amanda now, she clearly seemed interested in addressing his inquiries.

"Is that why people lick people, Auntie Manda? 'Cause they taste good?" Noah asked and licked the back of his hand again thoughtfully. "'Cause I don't taste anything…" He paused and then ate another spoonful of pudding. "Pudding definitely tastes good," he concluded.

Amanda glanced at Sonny again, who looked like he was about to burst open with the effort of trying not to laugh. "Uncle Sonny? You wanna take this one?" She asked with a smile.

Sonny's laughter died immediately and his mouth dropped open.

"Uncle Sonny? Do _you_ think people taste good?" Noah asked patiently.

Carisi leaned forward over his desk and tried to approach the question carefully. "Why d'ya ask, Noah? Something you've seen on TV?"

Noah thought and shook his head, "I've seen boyfriends and girlfriends kiss on TV. Kissing is pretty gross, but Mommy said that I would understand when I'm older. When grownups kiss that means that they like each other a lot, or sometimes even love each other like mommies and daddies. Just like Jacob's daddies."

Sonny glanced at Amanda and smiled, then looked back at their inquisitive young friend.

"…But, you know, I think Uncle Rafa really liked it when Mommy licked him on Christmas Day…because he hasn't been home since. Not even once. That makes me very happy." Noah paused to think again, not noticing the fact that all three detectives jaws were now practically on their desks. "So I wondered, do you think Uncle Rafa tastes good? Is that why Mommy was licking him?"

Noah watched his Uncle Sonny open and close his mouth a few times - not very helpful.

So he looked to his Auntie Amanda, whose slack-jawed gape was slowly transforming into a broad grin - also not helpful.

Finally, Uncle Fin, who was now smiling at him real funny and had arched his eyebrow very high!

"You saw your Mommy lick your Uncle Rafa? On Christmas Day?" Fin asked extremely slowly.

"Yeeeessss," Noah replied, mimicking his Uncle Fin's slow question.

"Where?" Amanda asked, meaning their location. However…

"Up his neck," Noah demonstrated a long lick up the back of his spoon and then looked at her hopefully. "Do you lick Uncle Rafa too, Auntie Manda?"

Amanda's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of her head now. _"No!"_ She replied quickly.

Noah looked a little shocked at her vehement response so she clarified.

"Licking is for…" Amanda panicked in search of the right words, "…extremely _special_ grownup friends…I guess like your Mommy and Uncle Rafa."

Noah nodded thoughtfully, "So they only ever lick each other?" He wasn't sure why, but he liked the idea that only his mummy could lick his Uncle Rafa…maybe that meant he might stay.

Sonny was rubbing his hand over his face now, not knowing whether to laugh or cry at the awkwardness of this whole conversation.

"I…guess…" Amanda glanced toward the office and saw Olivia walking passed the window on her cell, "…I mean, yes…sure… _of course."_

Noah nodded with satisfaction. "I think Mommy does like how Uncle Rafa tastes," he continued, "…she made a little 'Mmmmmmm' sound just like Uncle Sonny makes when he eats chocolate pudding."

Amanda bit her lip now and dropped her face down to rest her forehead on her hands, her shoulders shaking silently.

Fin coughed and tried to move the conversation on, "Did ya talk to ya Mommy and Uncle Rafa about this?"

Noah nodded vehemently, "Oh yes! And I told mommy she could lick Uncle Rafa whenever she wanted, as long as it meant Uncle Rafa came to visit more. I really like Uncle Rafa."

"Well…" Sonny said slowly, "…that's really...something!" He smiled at the boy.

Noah grinned and nodded, "It is, and since then Uncle Rafa has stayed! So I think Uncle Rafa must like being licked by Mommy. Don't you think?"

Sonny smiled, his eyes dancing with amusement, "I'd definitely say so."

"You know what else, Uncle Sonny? Last night I heard my Uncle Rafa telling Mommy that he loves her more than anything else in the whole world. _Then_ Mommy told Uncle Rafa that he has made our family...com-pete," Noah innocently recalled for them, "I'm not sure what that means, but it's definitely good because Mommy has been smiling so big! They thought that I was in my bedroom, but I heard them say it." Noah looked between the trio and paused. "Auntie Manda, are you sad?" He asked with concern.

"No," Amanda assured as she smiled and quickly wiped her eyes. "Just happy for your mamma, kid. Your Uncle Rafa is a _really_ good guy."

"Uncle Rafa is very good," Noah agreed solemnly, "…so good that Santa sent him a gift for Christmas and he only usually sends those to kids! It was a tie, just like mine, so that we match! I'm going to wear mine this evening when Uncle Rafa and me have our very own grownup-boys New Years party!"

All three looked at each other now and smiled, they looked over at Olivia's office to see her grin broadly, then drop her head back and laugh. They all knew for sure now that she was talking to Barba on her cell and they couldn't remember ever seeing her so happy.

* * *

A little over three hours later, Barba walked around the corner into the unit and nodded at the squad. "Afternoon, detectives," he greeted them and then hesitated. "What?" He looked down at his coat to check if maybe he'd spilt his coffee. "Why are you all smiling at me like that?" He asked as he rested his briefcase down on Sonny's desk and unbuttoned his overcoat.

All eyes immediately went to his tie - _Lego._ That could only be Noah's tie and that realisation even made Fin feel a little gooey inside.

"Are you all going to just sit there grinning at me?" Barba asked as he picked up his briefcase. Then he looked up and saw Olivia walking out of her office. "Lieutenant, did you have a nice Christmas?" He asked smoothly.

She smiled but didn't give anything away, "Wonderful, thank you, Barba. What brings you here?"

"I've almost finished for the day, so I thought I'd bring that paperwork by for you to go over," he explained.

"Time to run through it with me? Then I could just sign..." Olivia glanced at her squad, "Why are you three sat watching us like you're at a tennis match?"

All three shrugged or shifted in their seat, then ostensibly moved their attention back to their work.

Olivia looked at Barba with amusement, then her eyes scanned down to his tie and her smile grew. Her hand automatically drifted out towards it, but she controlled herself and nodded back toward her office. "Counsellor?" She asked.

"Sure," he looked at the time, "…half-an-hour, but then I have an extremely important date."

Fin glanced up at him now and arched an eyebrow, knowing that they were all working until late, but then he looked at his old friend and saw her eyes glow. _Interesting…_ He suddenly remembered Noah mentioning their New Years party and he smiled, Barba was obviously rushing out of work to be with the boy and he had never had more respect for him.

Olivia turned and walked toward her office, Barba trailing not far behind. Then they all exchanged amused looks when her window blinds immediately closed.

* * *

"Do you have any idea how sexy it is that you're wearing this?" Olivia asked as she grabbed hold of the tie and turned him against the wall. She reached out quickly and twisted the blinds closed.

Barba smirked and then slowly licked over his bottom lip. "Do you know how sexy you are?" He replied smoothly.

She smiled and kissed him. "I know we shouldn't be doing this," she said slowly against his lips, "…but I _need_ to kiss you right now."

"You'll _never_ hear me complain while your lips are against mine, mi amor," he assured and slid his hand firmly down her waist and over her thigh.

"Will you judge me if I admit that I've missed you?" She smiled in between soft and teasing kisses. "This is the longest we've been apart since Christmas and I can't say I've liked it."

He smiled and ran his gaze over her face. "How do you think the DA's office would feel if I just moved my desk in here?" He quipped. "I feel like I'll be far more productive if I can just look at your face whenever I want."

Olivia smiled and tilted her head a little, "You're good for my ego, ADA Barba."

"You choosing me…" he said softly, "… _nothing_ could ever feel better than that."

Olivia wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into the crook of his neck. "I just want to hold you for a few minutes," she said quietly.

Barba hummed and silently held her close, he was a naturally tactile person around people he loved and had dreamed of moments like this.

"I don't want to let you go…" She admitted after a couple of minutes.

"I'd stay here all afternoon, but I don't think Lucy _or_ Noah would be very happy," Barba replied and pressed his warm lips to her neck before breathing in deeply.

Olivia pulled back and smiled at him, "The way you love my boy, I could love you for that alone…"

"So you just want me for babysitting duties?" He asked teasingly.

She laughed and kissed him, "You'd better appreciate my gratitude now, Rafa, because it's not babysitting when they're _yours."_

His eyes welled with tears.

_"Family,"_ she reminded him and he nodded firmly.

* * *

Noah abandoned his game with Lucy and ran for the door as soon as he heard it open.

"Uncle Rafa! You used our key!" He grinned excitedly and then laughed when Barba scooped him up and dragged him the few steps into the living area, before dropping his bags to the floor and more carefully depositing Noah on his feet.

"I did!" Barba replied, only slightly exaggerating his excitement. Truth be told, he had relished putting his new key into the lock, it felt like such a simple act yet it seemed to symbolise the new role that he had in Olivia and Noah's life. He smiled over at Lucy. "Hi," he greeted her a little awkwardly, childcare handover was also a new role, "…has he been good?"

Lucy smiled warmly as she stood, she had been watching their exchange with fascination and couldn't help but feel a little emotional at the sight of the two of them together. She knew how much her young friend loved this man and was a little overwhelmed by the confirmation that this affection was clearly mutual. "Very good, Mr Barba. Thank you so much for leaving work early so that I could go to my party, it's really appreciated."

Barba shook his head, "Not at all. Noah and I have big plans, don't we, amigo?"

Noah grinned and nodded enthusiastically, then gazed up at his Uncle Rafa as he removed his coat. "Uncle Rafa! You're wearing our tie! You wore it to work?!"

Barba smiled and crouched down next to him, "New Years, right? Only the smartest dress!"

"I'm going to wear mine too!" Noah announced excitedly and ran toward his bedroom.

They watched him go then Barba stood and smiled at Lucy, "I'll go through and check on him in a minute. Unless you want me to call him back through to say goodbye?"

Lucy laughed softly and pulled on her coat, "I'll see him in a few days, all of his focus is on his Uncle Rafa now…which is as it should be."

Barba smiled, clearly touched.

"I hope you don't think I'm stepping out of line, Mr Barba, but I'm so pleased to see that your relationship with Olivia is developing. Noah thinks the world of you…" Lucy said as she gathered her things.

Barba nodded gratefully. "They…" he struggled for words and then quietly and simply acknowledged, "…they both mean the world to me as well, Lucy." He reached into his wallet and pulled out $100.

"No, it's fine," she said quickly, "Olivia has already paid me."

"This is just a little extra from me," Barba insisted. "Buy some drinks for your friends tonight…or buy yourself something. I know how much you help Liv and your support and friendship is so appreciated. The hours we work can't be easy. Please?"

"I'm more than happy to do that, Mr Barba," Lucy insisted, "…Noah means a lot to me."

"This is not payment," Barba insisted and pushed the money into her hand. "Let's call it a late Christmas bonus? From a man who is unbelievably grateful to you for the love and support you give to the two people he loves the most."

Lucy's eyes welled with tears and she took the money a little reluctantly. "I…" she smiled at him, "…I'll buy myself something, a _gift_ from you. Thank you, Mr Barba."

"Please, call me Rafael, I'd like to hope we'll become friends," Barba insisted.

"I look forward to that." She picked up her bag and turned to leave, then smiled back over her shoulder. "Happy New Year, Rafael."

Barba turned toward Noah's bedroom as Lucy let herself out, then knocked lightly and opened the door to find the little boy dressed in a suit. His shirt was a little untucked and his tie was hanging open around his neck…but he'd actually done a very good job of getting into what Noah called his 'Uncle Rafa Suit'.

"Want a little help?" Barba asked.

Noah looked up at him and grinned, then nodded and stretched up his neck.

Barba walked over and dropped to one knee, quickly looping his tie and then helping him to tuck in his shirt. "A perfect little gentleman," he announced proudly and Noah looked down at himself and giggled with excitement.

"Now, I've brought everything we need to make tiny burgers and tiny hotdogs…" Barba started.

"Tiny?" Noah asked with wide eyes.

"Maybe…this big," Barba estimated and held out his thumb and finger a couple of inches apart.

Noah's mouth dropped open a little, "With tiny cheese slices?"

Barba laughed, "Definitely with tiny cheese slices…we might need to use a full-sized bottle of ketchup though." He took Noah's hand and they walked outside into the kitchen, then he lifted him up onto the counter so that they were almost level. "I even have sparkling apple juice, just like grownups drink," he reached into a bag and with a flourish pulled out two plastic champagne flutes.

Noah gasped and bounced up and down a little with excitement.

"Now, for a real grownup-boys New Years party we need a little music!" Barba announced. He scrolled through his phone, smiled when he found some Frank Sinatra and hit play.

Noah's eyes lit up when the music magically played through his mommy's speakers.

"Parties need dancing…" Barba announced, helping Noah down from the counter and then leading him out to spin around in the living area.

* * *

By 10 pm Noah was exhausted. He was full-up with the equivalent of one whole burger and one whole hotdog, and two glasses of sparkling apple juice, but his food and sugar high had crashed and he could barely keep his eyes open.

"Is it time yet?" Noah asked quietly, his head laying against his Uncle Rafa's shoulder as they sat on the couch.

Barba thought quickly and tried to negotiate with the little boy. "You know, it's New Year's Eve right now and no matter what time you go to bed tomorrow it will be a new year. So…if we celebrate right now, then you go to bed, that would definitely count."

Noah looked up at him and blinked sleepily. "Really, Uncle Rafa? You swear?" He really wanted to go to sleep but didn't want to miss out on a second of their special party.

"We could even have a special count down to bedtime," Barba suggested and leaned in to pick up their empty glasses. He refilled them and passed one to Noah, then changed the music. "Are you ready?"

Noah nodded excitedly.

"10…9…8…7…6…5…" Barba started then Noah joined in, "…4…3…2…" He picked up Noah and bounced him along with the last few numbers. "ONE!" They both cried out, Barba showing Noah how to clink their glasses and then kissing him on the temple before Noah hugged him tightly.

"It was the best party ever!" Noah gasped happily. "Maybe next year we could even invite Mommy!"

Barba laughed and hugged him tightly, "That sounds perfect, Chico."

"I love you, Uncle Rafa," Noah said softly, his burst of excited energy already waining as he rested his head heavily on his shoulder.

"I love you too, Noah," Barba whispered and then slowly started to walk him towards his bedroom. "Let's get you to bed…"

* * *

As the time edged toward eleven, Fin began to notice that Olivia's eyes were repeatedly drifting to the clock nearby. He had moved into her office to work alongside her a couple of hours ago and in spite of getting lots of work done, he could tell that her heart was not really in it.

"Somewhere you need to be, Liv?" he asked after a while.

Olivia shrugged and sighed, "Noah will probably be asleep by now anyway…"

"Lucy's watching him?" Fin inquired subtly, he already knew the answer but wanted to see what Olivia would say.

"She…" Olivia fidgeted a little, not comfortable with directly lying to her friend, "…not exactly."

Fin paused, looking at her expectantly.

"Okay..okay...Barba's with him!" She sat back in her chair defiantly and smiled at her sergeant.

"Barba?" Fin smirked and then laughed softly before admitting, "Noah might have said something."

"You knew?" She laughed.

"I guessed. I mean, I assume you two have finally…?" Fin edged.

"You should know all about that," Olivia retorted with a raised eyebrow.

"Me?" Now Fin was really confused.

"Christmas Eve? _Someone_ blew Rafa's mind by announcing that I am in love with him?" Olivia attempted to jog his memory.

Fin's jaw dropped open. "What? _Me?"_ He asked in shock.

"Who else?" She retorted dryly.

"I don't…" Fin's mind whirled as he tried to remember that night, "…God, Liv…I'm damn sorry."

Olivia smiled and shook her head. "I might have been expecting an apology, but…" she smiled at him with dancing eyes, "…I think I should be grateful for your role in bringing him to my door in the early hours of Christmas Morning."

"He came to you?" Fin asked, clearly surprised.

"In the middle of the night, to tell me he…" tears sprung to Olivia's eyes now and she smiled, "…to tell me that he loves me, and he loves Noah. Fin, we're so happy - he hasn't left our side since that night."

Fin nodded slowly, trying not to let out the emotion he felt at seeing her so happy. "Noah did mention witnessin' some… _licking,"_ he teased.

Olivia laughed and covered her face, "Oh God! He didn't? Was anyone…?"

"Only Manda and Carisi," Fin assured, "…but they won't say a word until you're ready. We're happy for ya both."

Olivia glanced at the clock again.

"Liv, go home to him," Fin encouraged.

"We're working…" Olivia brushed him off and tried to refocus on their work.

"You know that I can do this, Liv. I'll call in the others to help if I need to," Fin assured.

"I shouldn't…" Olivia replied, looking up at the time and clearly tempted.

"You should," Fin rejoined, "…work will always be here, Liv. We need to give the people we love our time as well. Barba is at your place right now and I know that you want to be there with him. Nobody _needs_ you here right now, so make the decision to put him first."

Olivia looked up at her friend tearfully and nodded. He was right, her work would always be an essential part of her life, but to do that to the best of her ability she needed to allow time for what made her whole and happy, and for the people she loved the most - Noah and Rafael. "I…" she looked at Fin, clearly already changing her mind, "…you're sure?"

"Go, Liv!" He insisted. "If ya leave now you'll be home before midnight."

She hesitated for less than a second and then quickly started packing. "Thank you, Fin…"

"Seems I owe ya," Fin smiled and then watched as she rushed for the door.

"Happy New Year," she called back and then vanished.

Moments later Amanda's head popped around the corner. "Where's Liv goin'?"

Fin smirked, "Let's just say she's developed a taste for sumin' a little less…administrative."

* * *

By 11:45 Barba had cleared away after their party and settled in front of the TV with a book and the intention of waiting up until Olivia got home. So he was a little startled when he heard the door open.

He stood and walked around the corner just in time to see Olivia slipping off her coat and hanging it near the door. He stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her from behind, swiping her hair to one side and then kissing her neck as she laughed happily and leaned back against him.

"Hey," Olivia almost purred, already feeling his body heat melt away the cold.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, nuzzling behind her ear and breathing in deeply.

Olivia turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I got talking to Fin and realised…" she paused and collected her thoughts, "...I'm not sure why this matters so fucking much," she choked a little tearfully and pressed a kiss to his mouth, "…but everything was telling me that I needed to start this New Year with you."

Barba brought his hand up to her cheek and whispered softly, "I love you."

"Where is he?" Olivia asked, glancing over his shoulder.

Barba winced regretfully, "I'm sorry, mi amor. We had our party, but he got so tired that I convinced him it was okay to have an early countdown and go to bed…it never even occurred to me that you would be able to get home in time."

Olivia smiled and shook her head, "I know that Noah had a perfect evening with you, Rafa, he loves you so much." She took his hand and walked them both back through to the living area, then quickly turned off the TV and switched off the lights before turning and leading him toward the bedroom. "We'll have plenty of New Years to share with Noah, so let's take this first one just for us?"

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her lips as they tumbled into the bedroom and Olivia flicked on a low light.

"I really want to kiss you at midnight," he smiled and gripped her waist before rolling his hips slowly against her and thrusting his tongue into her mouth as she groaned.

"You know…" she spoke against his lips in between hungry kisses, "…the kiss at midnight is meant to be good luck, to represent what you're going to be doing for the following year…"

"Mmmmm…" Barba acknowledged as he slipped off her jacket and slid his hands under her shirt.

"I can think of something else I'd like to be doing next year, and every year after that…" she grinned and reached down to stroke her hand over his length.

He paused, his mouth turning up into a smile. "Start this year off in the same way that we're intending on spending our 85th year?" He suggested.

Olivia shuddered and pulled at his shirt, ripping off a couple of buttons in her eagerness to remove his clothes.

He pulled off his shirt and tilted his head to latch onto her neck - kissing, licking and sucking, tasting her skin as she tugged off her clothes while he walked them back toward her bed. "I like your idea of a New Years celebration, Lieutenant Benson," he teased.

She fell back on the bed in only her underwear and laughed as Barba stumbled slightly while he attempted to quickly dispose of his shoes, socks and pants. He caught himself with his hand on the end of the bed, then looked at her with an amused smirk as he kicked aside his pants and then crawled above her until his knees were either side of her hips.

Olivia's arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him down for a hungry kiss as he rolled his solid cock against her. She groaned and arched up, humming and wrapping her legs around his thighs to draw him as close as possible.

_"Rafa,"_ she gasped, her tongue pushing into his mouth as her hand reached down and slipped inside his boxers. She heard the rumble of increasing party noises outside and breathlessly ripped her mouth away from his in order to glance at her bedside clock. "Rafa," she grinned at him, "there's only a couple of minutes to go, I want you inside me."

He pushed up to quickly pull off his boxers, then surprised Olivia by turning to sit up against the headboard. She rushed to pull off her panties, dropping them to one side and then unclipping and discarding her bra as she moved to straddle his waist. Her breath caught when he latched onto one of her breasts, licking and sucking one taut nib while she quickly reached between them and lined him up with her entrance.

His mouth moved away with a loud smack and he groaned as Olivia pushed down hard and took him inside her throbbing core. She settled into his lap, rolling her hips slowly and clenching her internal muscles around him. "Livia," he combed his fingers into her hair and kissed along her jawline.

"To our _New_ Year, mi amor?" Olivia said softly with a sheen of tears in her eyes.

They could hear the distant echo of a New Year countdown in the street. _10…9…8…_

Barba kissed her lips gently. "First of many…" he needlessly confirmed.

"…The rest of our lives," Olivia assured and now tears shone in Barba's eyes as well.

"…3…2…1," they spoke quietly together and then their lips joined in a slow and easy kiss that they now understood was only a symbolic mark at the beginning of their lives together.

**_THE END_ **


End file.
